Blast-furnace top



\ June 1s, 1929.

BAKER vBLAST FURNACE TOP 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 21, 1926 June 18,1929. D. BAKER 1,717,828 BLAST FURNACE TOP Filed April 21, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Eil Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED YSTATES DAVID BAKER, OF SWARTHMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

BLAST-renuncia Tor.

Application filed April 21, 1926. Serial No. 103,569.

The invention relates to blast furnace top. The object is to provideimprovements 1n means for `mechanically charging blast furnaces in orderto facilitate the operation and also to secure a more even and uniformdistribution of raw materials within the furnace.

It is a well known fact that mechanical filling in general use to-day,does not give as perfect distribution of raw materials in the blastfurnace that intelligent hand filling O'ave. D lt is the purpose of thepresent invention to duplicate or simulate hand lilling by mechanicalmeans, to do away with the usual center bell rods, and to secure theeven distribution heretofore obtained.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate merely by way of examplesuitable means for effecting my invention Fig. 1 is a side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in Section.

Fig. 3 is an elevation in part section of the chute turning cylinder.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.'

The upper part of the furnace is normally closed by the main bell 6seating against the lip-ring 5 of the main hopper. This main bell 6 isconnected by the link 7 to the beam S, supported by the rods 9, whichare operated to raise and lower' the bell 6 as required. By this meansthe central rod, which is usually required to support the bell, isdispensed with.

At the top of the furnace is rotatably mounted the chute 10. This chuteis given rotative movement by means of the pinion 11 cooperating withthe rack or annular gear 12 which is attached to the chute by means ofthe bracket 13. The chut-e 10 has a substantial depth and is providedwith the substantially V-shaped discharge mouth 14, as shown in Fig. 1.

Above t-he chute 10, is provided the slide plate 15, adapted to form agas seal for the top of the furnace, when the bell 6 is lowered into theopen position. The slide plate 15 is operated by the rod 16 connected topiston 17, operating in the cylinder v18, supplied, in the usual way,with water under pressure or with compressed elastic fluid, under theusual controls.

Above the chute 10 is provided the hopper 19, into which the skip dump2O delivers ma terial.; the hopper 19 delivering to the chute 10.

The chute 10 is given step by step rotative movement by means, as abovestated, of pinion 11 on shaft 21 having a ratchet wheel 22 cooperatingwith a pawl This pawl 23 is mounted on a sleeve 24 carrying a pinion 25.The pinion 25 cooperates with a rack 26 secured to the two pistonsv 27operating in the cylinder 2S supplied in the usual way with water` underpressure or with compressed elastic fluid. The purpose of the pawl andratchet means for communicating movement to the chute 10, is to providethe rotative movement of chute 1() in one direction only.

The chute `is actuated to travel through an arc slightly more or lessthan 90 degrees, before each skip load is dumped, thereby causing acontinual progression of the dumping points around the bell 6.

The plate 15 ispreferably mounted on a frame or carriage 29, providedwith wheels 30, running on the tracks 31.

The chute 10 is provided with a suitable bearing, as at 32. This shouldpreferably be of anti-friction type.

The mouth 14 of the chute 10 substantially V-shaped for the followingpurpose lt is essential that the materials passing through the chuteshall follow closely the center line of the chute; otherwise the properdistribution in the main hopper and on the bell 6 will not be obtained.i

It has been found that, with certain chutes of the prior' art having themouth relatively wide and shallow, the initial velocity of the oreleaving the skip, caused the coarser materials to go through the chuteto one side of its center' line, when the chute .was turned into anyposition with its discharge between the point of dump of the skip andthe point opposite thereto.

This action practically nullilied the distribution aimed at, because agreater proportion of lump always found itself on the side of the centerline of the chute opposite that of the dump of the skip, while thegreater proportion of fines were deposited on the other side of saidcenter line.

The chute is specially designed to deliver the various materials to thepoint aimed at by the center line of the chute.

In dimensions, the chute is relatively deep, somewhat to control thedirection of the discharge of materials to the bell 6, therebycounteracting the velocity of the materials charge mouth, which tendsstrongly to de-.l

liver the materials along-the center Aline of the chute.

The small bell commonly used as a gasV seal, when the main bell is open,is dispensed with, thereby eliminating the bell supporting rod Whichusually extends through the hopperI or chute. This Vrod tends to blockor interfere with the even flow of material through the chute.

The gas seal, Which `is necessary When the main bell 6 is open,isobtained by the slide plate 15 which is automatically closed by thepiston 17, operating in cylinder 18, When the bell 6 is open, andautomatically opened When the bell 6 is closed.

In operation, the skip 2O dumps a load into the hopper 19. The gas sealor slide plate 15 being open, the load passes through the distributingchute 10, to the main bell 6. lllhile the skip is making another trip,the distributing chute 10 is turned a definite number of degrees, asdescribed and the second skip load is placed at the next position on thebell 6. This operation is repeated until preferably four skip loads havebeen deposited around the bell 6.

The gas seal or slide plate 15 is then closed and the bell 6 lowered,allowing the material to slide oil1 into the furnace.

The bell 6 is closed after a certain interval, the slide plate 15 isopened, and before the skip 20 gets to the top of chute 10 the chute isturned, and thekcycle repeated; the bell 6 being opened after every fourdumps of the skip.

Each rotative movement of the chute 1s preferably through a definitearc, either slightly more or less than 90", but never exactly 90, inorder thatthe four dumping points shall gradually move around 'the top,While holding the same angularity with respect toreach other.

The operation of the slide plate 15, above described, is merely by Wayof example; it will be obvious that the slide plate may be .operated inaccordance With any of the methods in practice for furnace charging.

`Vlhat I claim 1s 1. In combination With a blast'furnace top for closingsaine, a beam Within the hopper1 'a link pivotally connected tothe beamand also pivotally connected to the bell at its apex, and supportingrods pivotally connected to the ends ofthe beam.

,greatest diameter, having its discharge opening'in a planeat-subst-antially the same 1nclination tothe vertical plane as that ofthe opposite Wall, and having its loWer margins meeting at anangle toform a V, in order to direct the dischargeV of material uniformly andsubstantially along the center line of` the chute.

3. In combination 'with a blast furnace top having a main receivinghopper vand a revolving chute'delivering thereto, a gas seal for the topof the chute, comprising a flatv plate adapted to cover and uncover theentire opening of the chute, a plate supporting carriage .havingsupporting Wheels and cooperating tracks, and means 'for reciprocatingthe carriage.

VDAVID BAKER.

having a main receiving hopper anda bell

